Quilting Bee anyone?

[mikeschn]

I like it!!!

Mike...

[nevadatear]

Doug is exactly right, I don't know of any quilt shop that doesn't offer beginning classes. That develops their customer base after all. I would keep looking for a shop with evening classes. Many do offer those, they want to reach as many people as possible. I have taught classes in the past and I always taught evening classes.

I learned many things from a book, and made several quilts before ever taking a class. But taking a class can offer so much more help and ideas, I would really recommend taking at least one. Also, when you go to the quilt store, be on the look out for quilt show advertisements. The really big ones offer classes (usually on weekends), and they are a great way to learn new techniques from national experts. And one more thing, consider subscribing to Quilter's Newsletter Magazine or Quiltmaker (both from the same company). They are magazines that have basic instructions in every issue, along with lots of ideas, tips and patterns. The Newsletter is a more all-around magazine covering all aspects of the art, and quiltmaker is a pattern magazine that offers about 6 patterns in every issue. The bear and dog quilts were from Quiltmaker. Quiltmaker is www.quiltmaker.com and the other one is www. quiltersnewsletter.com. There are many other quilting magazines on the market, Fons and Porters is a good one, but I think the first two I mentioned are the best.

[rebapuck]

Check your local PBS station for quilt shows. Maybe you could tape?dvr them to watch later.

And support your local quilt shop. Their prices are a bit higher, but the quality is better too.

[mcspin50]

All these quilts are so wonderful! Any suggestions as to how to learn how to quilt? I have basic sewing skills and a sewing machine. One of my goals for the teardrop, or at least what I dreamed of before I got it, was to make a quilt, pillows and curtains. All of your quilts are so nice and I'd really like to learn. Thanks!

Jacquie, if you don't live near a quilt shop, how about talking to your local community education director about finding someone to teach a class? Or maybe the FACS (Family and Consumer Science) teacher at the middle/high school can help you get started with tips and handouts. It really is a fun hobby. Maybe just start with a small wall hanging, pillow or lap quilt to test the waters. I have three pillows that were made by each of my sons in 7th grade FACS class. I treasure them, along with the metal scoops they each made...great for dishing out sidewalk salt or bird seed.

Oh, and thanks to Mike for your thumbs up too!

Take care,

[doug hodder]

BUMP....I rarely really finish up a quilt with the quilting and binding, but I liked this one so completed it. Most of my work is just for samples and I donate those tops to groups that sew for foster child programs or hospice groups. I thought I'd finish this one up.

This one was quilted with a computerized long arm, Celtic knots in the field and border. The pattern is called Bento Box...an easy one with a lot of ways to do it. Doug

[martha24]

Doug,
Your quilt really creates an interesting optical illusion. The colors seem to jump right off the quilt.

I really like your pin fabric, what a fun fabric.

[mcspin50]

Hi Doug,
Love the quilt! It's almost like an Escher tessellation.

[bonnie]

A true quilt in a day. From cutting to finished in less than 8 hours. Titus Mark will be arriving in Oct. His Mom (my oldest) and Dad will be missionaries on the Island of Siapan. Design and fabric picked by my daughter. It's like sending Grandma hugs with them.

Also completed this weekend was the Siapan quilt. It's got 3D flowers made by family and friends and free motion machine quilting in what my girls called organic swirls. Turned out pretty well, I think.

[mcspin50]

Nice work, Bonnie! Love the 3-D flowers and both color schemes!

My first quilt was a quilt-in-a-day that turned out to be a week.

[bonnie]

I set a world record on both of these. I have been known to take a long, long time to finish a project. I love sewing and quiting.

[nevadatear]

I don't have any pictures , but we did a walking quilt show from trailer to trailer at IRG and it was great fun.

[rebapuck]

Presented this 32" x 32" purple and yellow quilt last Wednesday. Mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother all loved it.

Stars are each 3" square. As before, I spent too much time stitching and my hands hurt. Got to learn to take breaks. Spread out the work. But I'm always behind my deadlines.



I love the way a quilt crinkles up when washed, but I hate that my feathered cables seem to disappear in the crinkles.

[S. Heisley]

I don't have any pictures , but we did a walking quilt show from trailer to trailer at IRG and it was great fun.

It was fun! Thank you for leading that tour, Debbie. I was amazed to find that many of our tnttt people quilt. ...Who knew?! Had I known how much we were going to see on that tour, I would have left the dog in the camper and taken lots of pictures, instead! (With the dog tagging along, the pictures that I tried to take were a lost cause.) Doug Hodder had a large display of his quilts spread out on the picnic tables as well as the ones that people graciously displayed in and around their trailers.

It would have been interesting to see a count of how many quilts were shown and a count of the number of people who displayed them. Debbie, do you happen to have any of that information?

[nevadatear]

Now, i dont. I would guess we looked at least 20 trailers with quilts, plus the 8 or so i brought and the 3 or 4 doug brought, and penny had several as well. There were a lot!

[S. Heisley]

Now, i dont. I would guess we looked at least 20 trailers with quilts, plus the 8 or so i brought and the 3 or 4 doug brought, and penny had several as well. There were a lot!

Oh! So, some of those quilts on the tables were not Doug's. I got to the tour a couple minutes late and thought they were all made by Doug! ...Sorry. When it comes to something that has so much design and work in it, give credit where credit is due! So, thanks for correcting me.